Overheating XF S Pak Ute - or not? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

211 · 11-09-2002, 14:02

My XF ute is being a pain .....

Last winter, I had a warmer than normal thermostat installed, as I was having start up probs. She ran fine. The other day, (33 degrees) the temp gauge went through the roof (S pak dash). Checked radiator, visually fine. Bored holes in thermostat. Idled in Park for ages - temp fine. Go for a drive - through the roof. Back to mechanics. New triple core radiator - idled through a 1/4 tank of petrol (thanks guys) in the sun on a 26 degree day. Temp fine. Drove home, gauge gradually crept up to around 8 bar mark before I got her home.

Nursed her to work this morning - cold morning, gauge crept up to 5 bars.

Do you people reckon it's the gauges, or do you think I am actually running too hot? The top hose off the radiator is extremely hot, but the bottom one seems to be just on the hot side of warm (do I make sense?!)

When she's indicating hot, the volts are indicated a bit low, and oil pressure is indicated very low.

And what do I look for when I'm driving to let me know I am REALLY overheating?

xacoupe · 11-09-2002, 16:01

try replacing the temperature sensor. I replaces it in a cleveland I had that apparently never went over 1/4 on the guage.... needless to say I was in for a rude shock.
Have you tried running it without as thermostat?? Whilst not a good long term move it may help you troubleshoot it...

Extreme_2020 · 11-09-2002, 16:18

The Guages in my XF S Pak were doing weird things...for example after driving for 2-3 minutes my temperature guage would go to 1/2 or 1 block over, sometimes up to the 3/4 and the volt/oil guages used to flash when i was idling, or always register very low readings...

Asking a intrument place...i was told that the electronic modules in the S Pak clusters are very prone to fail...so i just ended up replacing my entire dash for a XF Ghia one..

Hope this helps

Extreme

WBT56 · 11-09-2002, 18:59

Quote:

Originally posted by xa-coupe

Have you tried running it without as thermostat?? Whilst not a good long term move it may help you troubleshoot it...

Best compromise is to cut the guts out of the thermostat. Tells you if it's a thermostat problem but leaves a little back pressure on the pump. To check if a car is truly hot, get it hot enough to show the same reading it gets to on a trip (bag in front of the radiator). Do this with the cap off from cold. Measure actual temp in tank with radiator thermometer or similar.

T3man · 11-10-2002, 00:47

It sounds like you are running hot - low oil pressure at the same time would indicate this. It may be your water pump.

crzyxf · 11-10-2002, 00:59

Hey carolyn,,,,

My S pak dash is playing up like that too..... winter it ran great now that warmer weather has hit its running 1 block over 1/2..... Took it too an instrument place just off ferntree gully rd (i think) and they said no probs with the temp sensor!

3 weeks l8a im still trying to rectify problem

EXECJIM · 11-10-2002, 02:56

the first thing i did with all my previous cars was to change to a colder thermostat. about 160 or 170 degree's

you can do less damage to a motor running cold than a motor running hot and boiling.

hope this helps

jim

Futura97 · 11-10-2002, 04:06

I think my dash might have been playing up too. When I first started the car in the morning and drove it, the temp gauge would always go to about 7-9 bars(10 being the hottest) while driving in the first 10-15mins.

But when I glance back at the dash about 2 secs later, its about 4 bars!!!

So I wouldn't be suprised if maybe the dash or the sensor is faulty....

TopGhia · 11-10-2002, 09:50

Quote:

The top hose off the radiator is extremely hot, but the bottom one seems to be just on the hot side of warm

My 2 bob is on the thermostat. Drive it for 20 mins, stop, turn it off, if the top radiator hose is hot and the bottom one is cold, it is the thermostat.

Wobbly gauges are a separate problem and are usually caused by a bad earth in the system somewhere.

xf351gt · 11-12-2002, 07:21

earth was the problem with my zl fairlaine the earth thats under the lh kick panel where the ecu is normaly when not removed
like mine.
might would go of the up to 10 at lights 8 driving with earth droped by 3-4
coolent flush and change now 3-5 max